Farm to Plate Initiative
The Farm to Plate (F2P) Initiative, approved at the end of the last legislative session, directs the Vermont Sustainable Jobs Fund, in consultation with the Sustainable Agriculture Council and other stakeholders, to develop a 10-year strategic plan to strengthen Vermont’s farm and food sector. Click HERE to download a copy of the enabling legislation.
FOR MORE INFO:
- Farm to Plate Summary (2-page PDF)
- A Snapshot of Vermont's Food System (2.18 MB PDF)
NEW: Survey of Education & Training Needs in the Farm & Food Sector
Regional Technologies Strategies, Inc. (RTS) is conducting a project with the Vermont Department of Education to look at education and training needs in the farm and food sector in the state. This is a part of the broader Farm to Plate Initiative coordinated by the Vermont Sustainable Jobs Fund. For our project we are looking for ways to build a stronger agricultural economy in Vermont through better education and training. Please answer the following questions in as much detail as possible. The survey should take just a few minutes. You can take this survey online at http://tinyurl.com/vermontagsurvey.
F2P Regional Food Summits
The Sustainable Agriculture Council and the Vermont Sustainable Jobs Fund are coordinating with local groups to hold a series of regional meetings to gather input for the Farm to Plate Initiative’s 10-year strategic plan to strengthen Vermont’s food system.
Learn more about regional efforts related to farms, food production, and food security. Participants will reflect upon their region’s strengths and weaknesses and have focused small group conversations about how to build a more robust local food system by 2020.
We hope you will join us for a local food summit in your area!
- WINDHAM COUNTY AREA: FRIDAY, JANUARY 15
5:00-8:30 PM at River Garden, Main Street, Brattleboro
Local organizing partner: NOFA Farm to Community and UVM Extension.
For more info: Lisa Holderness, deerridgefarm@comcast.net.
Please RSVP to heather@vsjf.org.
F2P Survey
Please take a moment to fill out the F2P Survey to provide important feedback on Vermont’s farm and food system. The survey has two purposes: 1) to develop a comprehensive stakeholder list and the services each provides; 2) to collect information about the strengths and weaknesses of, and opportunities and threats to, Vermont’s farm and food sectors. We also need your help in identifying the gaps, needs and priority investment areas for our food system.
- Word Doc F2P Survey Form (Fill out the survey, share it with your members, and return via email to Heather Pipino or mail surveys to: Vermont Sustainable Jobs Fund, 3 Pitkin Court, Suite 301e, Montpelier, VT 05602. Thanks!)
Farm to Plate Process Team members include:
- Roger Allbee (Agency of Agriculture, Food & Markets)
- Marie Audet (Blue Spruce Farm);
- Stacy Burnstein (Castanea Foundation);
- Megan Camp (VT-FEED);
- Guy Choiniere (Choiniere Family Farm);
- Eric Clifford (Clifford Dairy Farm);
- Paul Costello (VT Council on Rural Development);
- Brian Dunkiel (Shems Dunkiel Kassel & Saunders);
- Amanda Ellis-Thurber (Lilac Ridge Farm);
- Bill Schubart (formerly of Resolution, Inc.);
- Will Stevens (Golden Russet Farm);
- Ryan Torres (VT Community Foundation);
- Steve Voigt (King Arthur Flour);
- Tom Vogelmann (UVM College of Agriculture & Life Sciences);
- Enid Wonnacott (NOFA-Vermont).
Farm to Plate Funders include:
- ARRA Stimulus Funds
- Vermont Community Foundation
- Agency of Agriculture, Food & Markets
- High Meadows Fund
- John Merck Fund
- Anonymous
Down Memory Lane – click the image below to read excerpts from Vermont's agricultural past.
Photo credit: All images in the banner courtesy of the Intervale
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